Today we’ll walk you through how we built the bookshelves in our son’s room. It’s a straightforward project that we’ve reused to create custom shelving in other areas of our home — from built-ins around a living room doorway to pantry shelves at our beach house. These bedroom shelves were our first attempt and we were thrilled with the result.
This guide focuses on building the shelving — the top portion of the built-ins. We previously documented how we built the cabinet bases (an Ikea hack) and how we finished them with crown molding, but not every bookshelf needs those elements, so this article sticks to the shelf construction itself.
You can also see the finished room in its earlier nursery version and later updated as a big-boy bedroom. This post covers the tools and materials, planning and cutting, painting, framing, shelf installation, finishing details, and optional crown molding.
Table of Contents
Tools & Materials To Build A Bookshelf
Below are the supplies and tools we used. If you don’t own a table saw or circular saw, consider renting one or having the store make the initial cuts. For projects like this, a saw makes the process much easier.
- 1/2″ MDF or plywood for the shelves
- 1×3 pine (ripped in half) for support pieces
- 1×2 pine for face trim
- 1×4 or 1×6 pine for a top brace
- Measuring tape
- Stud finder
- 24″ level
- Clamps
- Nail gun with finish nails
- Miter saw
- Table saw
- Circular saw
- Power drill/driver
- Wood glue
- Paintable caulk
- Primer and paint
- Painting supplies
The exact amount of lumber will depend on your design, so accurate planning is the key first step.
Step 1: Plan Your Build
Measure the available space and sketch the bookshelf layout on paper. Planning ahead helps you order and cut material efficiently — especially when working with 4×8′ sheets of plywood or MDF. The layout of cuts can feel like solving a puzzle, but it keeps waste to a minimum.
Note: We used plywood to better match the subtle wood grain in our base cabinets, but MDF is a good choice if you want an ultra-smooth painted finish.
Step 2: Cut Your Shelf Pieces
Cut your plywood or MDF into shelf boards and the tall side pieces using a table saw or circular saw. We had the store rip our plywood into 11″ strips to match our plan, which saved a lot of time and ensured consistent cuts. If you cut at home, take careful measurements and clamp pieces together if you want to cut multiple identical boards at once.
Step 3: Prime & Paint Your Shelves
It’s easier to paint large pieces before they’re installed. Lay shelves flat and prime them first, especially if using raw plywood or MDF, then apply your topcoat for a smooth, even finish. We used Benjamin Moore Señorita Gray for these shelves.
Step 4: Build Your Bookshelf Frame
With paint dry, secure one vertical side piece directly to the wall using a stud finder to locate studs and countersunk screws you can fill later. For the opposite side, attach a horizontal 1×3 brace to the back wall into studs; this provides a place to fasten the second vertical piece when you can’t screw directly into the wall there. Alternatively, you could attach a full back panel of plywood or MDF.
We also added a 1×6 front brace across the top to keep the unit square during assembly. Temporary spacers at the base helped maintain alignment while we worked.
Step 5: Add Your Shelves
Decide shelf spacing before permanently fastening supports. We used painter’s tape to visualize spacing and settled on even 10″ intervals with extra room at the bottom. Remember to account for shelf thickness when measuring.
Attach thin support strips under each shelf on three sides. We ripped 1×3 stock into approximately 3/4″ strips so the supports would be hidden behind the front face trim. Fasten these supports level to the wall and sides, then reinforce with screws into studs where possible so shelves will carry weight reliably.
With supports in place, set the prepped plywood shelves on top and secure them to the supports so they won’t shift or move.
Step 6: Finish With Face Pieces
Adding 1×2 face trim to the front of each shelf makes the whole unit look finished and gives the shelves a thicker, more polished appearance. These boards cover raw edges and hide the support strips you installed beneath the shelf fronts. Nail and glue the trim pieces, then fill nail holes and seams as needed.
Step 7: Caulk & Touch-Up Paint
Caulk all seams where two surfaces meet — shelf to wall, shelf to support, and support to side — and fill any nail holes. Once caulk is dry, do touch-up painting. Even if you pre-painted pieces, quick touch-ups keep the finish looking seamless and professional.
Step 8: Add Crown Molding (Optional)
If you want a more finished look, add crown molding that ties the built-in into the room’s trim. We used a layered “beefy crown” technique to make the molding appear larger by adding a piece of baseboard around the top before installing the crown. This step is optional but delivers a custom, built-in appearance.
These bookshelves cost roughly $60 each to build, including materials for the base cabinets, making them an inexpensive and highly functional addition to the room. They offer good storage and display space while feeling custom.
More DIY Shelving Projects
If you want additional shelving ideas, look for roundups of creative DIY shelf projects and adapt the basic techniques shown here — measuring carefully, pre-finishing boards, adding hidden support strips, and finishing with face trim — to suit your space and style.
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